Wire forming machine



Sept. 14, 1937. M, ON ET AL 2,093,173.

WYIRE FORMING MACHINE Filed Dec. 5, 1955 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 V Muriz Olsonan B i RdC/lfifd .4. Jivhnson/ W 6' ATTORNEY Sept. 14,1937. f MOLSONETAL2,093.173

WIRE FORMING MACI-IiNE I Filed Dec. 5, 1935 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENT OESJ urz z Olson an .Rg'c/zard .4 @fahns an.

A TTORNE Y Sept. 14, 1937. M. OLSON 5 A 2,093,173-

WIRE FORMING MACHINE Filed bee; 5, 1955 -7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Y AJTORNE} B6. ht

I IN VENTORS Magriiz Olson and @chard .4 Q7bhnson/ Sept. '14, 1937. M.QLSQNI ET AL WIRE FORMING MACHINE Filed Dec. 5, 1935 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 WN WNN IN VENT 0R5 Marl Z2 Olson and Rgghard .4. Jb/znsorq 2?. he

ATTORNEY p 3 M. OLSON ET AL WIRE FORMING MACHINE Filed Dec. 5, 1935 7Sheets-Shee'lifi INVENT R Murcia Ol 9 i B Lchard flclb/LI'LSOI'U ATTORNE Y Sept. 14, 1937.

M. OLSON ET A1,-

WIRE FORMING MAQHINE 7 Shets-Sheet 6 I Filed Dec. 5, 1935 .Muriiz wmw @NRMNK N WN Nb mu w ism ATTORNEY Sept. 14, 1937. M. OLSON ET AL WIREFORMING MACHINE Filed Dec. 5, 1935 INVENTORS Olson and charm .4 g7bhnsowA TTORNEY Patented Sept. 14, 1937 PATEN foFi-lce;

WIRE FORMING mcnmn Mauritz Olson, Bridgeport, and Richard A. Johnson,Fairfield, Conn.,

assignors to The A. He

-'Nilson Machine Company, Bridgeport, Conm, a corporation of ConnecticutApplication December 5, 1935, Serial No. 52,992

18 Claims.

This invention relates to wire feeding and forming machines of the slidetype and is particularly adapted for the formation of comparativelylarge articles requiring long lengths of wire such as, for instance,garment hangers, bucket bails, frames for strainers, etc.

The formation of these different articles onthis machine would obviouslyrequire a change of tools whereas the several cam shafts, the feedmechanism, wire guides and some of the bending tools wouldremain verymuch as are herein shown.

The present machine has, therefbre'been designed with a view of adaptingit not alone for the formation of coat hangers but as a general purposeslide machine for forming wire "into special shapes thusmaking of it amore attractive manufacturing proposition and whereby machines for thesespecific purposes will not each have to be entirely especially built.

One of the objections heretoforeexperienced in wire forming machinesparticularly where lone lengths of wire are fed from a reel, is thediificulty of feeding proper and uniform lengths of wire from which toform the specific articles to be formed. This apparently is due to thetype of feed mechanisms .employed and the means for operating the samemore particularly the stop-' ping and starting of the feeding means.Where feed rollers are employed-and operated from a drive means andwhere they are started and stoppedby brake mechanisms applied to therollers, or other means employed to check the effect of the power drive,the stopping of the feed, is quick, presumably with the forward end ofthe wire in engagement with a stop, in which case the feed is likely tobe started with a jerk depending upon the quickness of the releasementof the brake or other means of retarding the movement of the feed, so.that the feeds as a whole, as we have observed them, are not asdeslrable as the form herein employed whereby a gradual starting andstopping of the feeding movement is assured and whereby uniform lengthsof wire are fed and positioned for outt ns.

. Another objection experienced with certain types of machines feedinglong wires, is that the forming mechanism remains idle from the time thewire is completely formed until 'the' feeding wire is fed the fulllength thereby tripping a clutch and setting the forming mechanism inmotion.

In accordance with the construction of this -machine, the wire which ist ken from a reel is cut to uniform lengths, which constitutes the firstoperation. It is then shifted to a lower level where a hook is formedupon the forward end of the wire, and during which time a second lengthof wire i'sfed into the machine'and cut off. After the hook has beenformed on the end of the first wire blank it is again shifted to a thirdand lower level'where it is bent to form the shoulder and shank portionsand the latter twisted to complete the hanger. The machine thus operatesupon three wire blanks simultaneously on different levels and produces acomplete -coat hanger with each cycle of the machine. By this means thespeed of production is increased since the. time actually consumed inthe production of a hanger The-machine includes a novel form of feedmechanism whereby the wire is taken from a reel and fed into position inthe machine preparatory to being cut off in suitable lengths. .This feedobviously operates automatically and is of such a nature as to provide afeed which insures a slow preliminary feed, a rapid feed of theintermediate portion of the wire blank and a slow final movementpreparatory to cutting. In .this respect the forward end of the wire isfed against a stop at the same instant the said rolls cease to ,rotateonly long' enough to permit ofthe cutting -operation and the shifting ofthe wire from its feeding plane to a lower plane where the hook isformed upon one end.

The wire is fed into a relatively long guide way which is made separablealong a vertical and.

suitable forming dies that are slidably operated,

no rotary memberszbeing used in this hook forming operation. f

The hook being formed, it is promptly moved to a'lower level wherev apair of. hook-ended slides are employed for folding the wire around astatic former in a way to bring the hook and the straight end togetherin parallel relation and in which position theyrare grasped by arotatable head that winds the two wire shankportions around each' otherintermediate of the formed body portion of the hanger and the hook in away to form a twisted shank-for the hanger.

-The invention further consists in the novel construction, combinationand arrangement of parts as hereinafter more fully described, and asillustrated in the accompanying drawings forming apart of thisspecification and wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention. It isto nate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, I

Fig. 1 shows a top plan view of my improved wire forming machineincluding the feed mechanism.

Fig. 2 is'also a top plan view, upon an enlarged scale, of the centralportion of the bed of the machine, showing in a general way the toolsfor performing the several operations upon the wire.

Fig. 3 shows an enlarged longitudinal sectional elevation, taken on line3-3 of Fig. 2, and drawn on the same scale. Y

Fig. 4 is an enlarged front view of the wire cutter shown in Figs. 3 and5.

Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section through the wire cutter takenon wire line 5-5 in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view of the hook forming mechanism.

Fig. '7 is a vertical cross section of the hook forming mechanism shownin Fig. 6 and taken on line 1-1.

Fig. 8 is a further plan view similar to Fig. 6 except that the movablewire guide bar and forming tools are in an open position.

Fig. 9 is a vertical cross section taken on line 99 of Fig. 8. Y

Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale through onepair of feed rolls and associated operating mechanism shown at the rightin Fig. 1, and taken on line III-l0 of Fig. 11.

- Fig. 11 is a sectional elevation of the feed mechanism taken on linell-ll of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on line l2|2 of Fig. 2with tools in position I preparatory to twisting the shank.

Fig. 13 shows a detail to be read in connection with Fig. 12 showing thecombined wire guide and stripper in raised position.

Fig. 14 is an enlarged detached side view of the hanger 93 and itsnotched lowering tool, and the associated guide bars and former, andtaken on line l4l4 of Fig. 2 and shown in Fig. 12, employed to shift thewires from upper to lower levels.

Fig. 15 is a detail plan of guide bars and former, and hook formingtools in closed position, the

wire blank being indicated in dotted lines.

Fig. 16 shows a further detail plan view of the former and-a wire blankin formation and the forming tools positioned in relation thereto.

Fig. 17 shows a further advanced position of the wire' forming tools andwire blank, and

' v Fig. 18 shows a further detail view somewhat like the preceding onesagain illustrating an advanced stepin the formation of the wire coathanger preparatory to twisting as shown in 'Fig. 2.

As previously suggested, this wire forming machine-is designedprincipally as a slide machine since all forming tools are operatedthrough slides and cams. The principal forming tools operate onhorizontal lines except that .of the twisting head which in addition to.having a horizontal an advanced stage of charge them from the machine atthe rate of approximately fortya minute.

Referring first to the characters of reference marked upon the drawings,as clearly appears in Fig. 1, 20 represents the bed which'in design hasa comparatively flat top surface and is supported upon suitable legs 2|which, however, for the most part have been omitted to save space. 22

represents a main shaft that is hung in bearings 23 secured to the mainbed and is provided with a belt ,wheel 24' which may be connected to bedriven by a motor, not shown, and a fly wheel 25 at the opposite end. Aclutch 26 is also provided upon this shaft for engagement with thecontinuously driven belt whe'el, said clutch being operated through ahand lever 21 pivotally connected to a fined bearing of the machine andis connected by a rod and lever 28 with said clutch for its operation.Power is transmitted from the shaft 22 through a pinion 29 at a reducedratio to the larger gear 30 on a cam shaft 3| that is journalled inbearings 3232 of the bed. This cam shaft is connected to drive twoadditional cam shafts 33 and 34 arranged at right angles.

thereto, the first mentioned being connected through bevel gears 35 andthe last mentioned through similar bevel gears 36 whereby the three saidshafts are driven continuously along with the main driving shaft 22 whenthe clutch 26 is engaged. Shafts 3|, 33 and 34 are all provided withcams for operating various slides, levers and forming tools of themachine and in addition the shaft 33 serves to operate a wire feedmechanism shown in Figs. 1, 10 and 11 which, due to its rapidsuccessfuloperation, m'aterially adds to the uniform and successfulproduction of commercially perfect garment hangers. Since this feedmechanism forms the introduction of the wire into the machine, and thusconstitutes the first or preliminary operation, it will next bedescribed, in-

. This gear is provided, upon one side, with a series of four rollers.42, for engagement with and disengagement from radial slots 43 formed onthe adjacent side face of a gear 44 that is mounted upon a shortshaft 45also journalled in the hangers 4L. This last mentioned gear 44 is thusoperated one-quarter turn by the gear 39, for the feeding of a length ofwire, with each one-quarter movement of the gear 39 through theengagement of the rollers 42 with the slots 43 after the manner of aGeneva movement thus producing alternate quarter rotations of the gear44 and a consequential feeding movement of the wire with,

each rotation of the cam shafts so as to no t only feed and cut offalength of wire witheach cycle of the machine but to perform otheroperations on the advanced blanks and the resultant completion of-afinished garment hanger.

There are two pairs of feed rollers, each pair I including ;an upperroller A and a lower roller We will, therefore. first describe one pairof these feed rollers which should suffice for a proper un-" derstandingof both and then further describe the driving connections for the twopairs from the before mentioned gear 44. A suitable supporting frame 46is provided for the. feed and is secured to the bed of the machine byscrews. 41, see Fig. 1. A shaft 48 is journalledin the lower portion. ofthis frame for each of the lower feed rollers B and is provided with agear 49 upon its outer end that meshes with. and drives a gear 50secured on the outer end of an upper shaft 5i that-supports the upperfeed roller A. This upper shaft is journalled in a bearing block 52 thatis pivotally supported at 59 and carries a spring 54 secured to its topside to exert a yieldable downward pressure upon wire a. between. thefeed rollers A and B. An adjusting screw 55 is threadably mounted in afixed plate 56 secured to the frame 46 and has its lower end inengagement with the said spring 54 in a manner to provide an adjustableyieldable tension of the rollers upon the wire to be fed. As will beseen there are two sets of these feed rollers. shafts and gears so thatthe wire is drawn in through the straightening rollers A from the coil,

passed through the two feed rollers, under the cutting off mechanism andinto guide bars Ii and 12. These two sets of feed rollers are operatedfrom the before mentioned shaft 33 through the gears 38, 89, 44 and itsshort shaft 45. The gear 44 meshes with anddrives a smaller gear 51 onan intermediate shaft 58 journalled in bearings on the underside of thebed, and carries a larger gear 59, see Figs. 10. and 11, that mesheswith a smaller gear 89 on each of the before mentioned roller shafts 48,and whereby the gears 49 are operated and which in turn operate theupper gears and rollers. Next adjacent to the feed mechanism ispositioned the wire cutter which serves to cut the wire blanks from themain supply with the completion of each feeding operation. Thismechanism will probably best be understood by refer-' ence to Figs. 1, 4and 5 which, as will be seen, comprises a bracket Si in which isadjustably mounted a quill 62 through which the wire a is fed. A cutterlever 68 is pivotally supported as at 86. The forward end of this leveris guided in a pocket of the bracket 6! formed in part by a plate 65 andcarries a cutter 66 that is secured to the lever by a screw 61 and madeadjustable with respect to the lever by an adjusting screw 68. The rearend of the lever is provided with a cam roll 69 that engages a groove ina cam 10 on shaft 9i that serves to move the rear end of the lever upand down in a way to reciprocate the before mentioned cutter 66 withrespect to the wire quill in a manner to cut off wire blanks. The lengthof wire to be used for a hanger is fed in between the edge portions of apair of guide bars II and 12, the former being a stationary bar securedto the bed of the machine, see Figs. 2, 12, and 6 to 9 inclusive, bymeans-of 6:, screws 19. The somewhat similar bar I2 is provided with alongitudinal groove 14, see Figs. 7, 9 and 14, formed in its inner edgeportion to receive the wire and support it during the feeding operationsand is adapted to be moved toward 70 and from the edge of the stationarybar in a way .to receive the wire and release the blanks as they arecut. In this connection it is to be understood that when the wires arefed into'the groove 14 it also passes through the upper notch 71. in thelowering tool 92 which serves to support and lower the wire when themovable bar 12 is open. This bar 12 is loosely supported upon brackets15 and the clamping plate [8 and is thus adapted to move to and from theedge of. the fixed bar Ii 5 so as to permit the wire blank, after havingbeen fed longitudinally therein and cut off, to be moved to a lowerlevel preparatory to the formation of the hook on the forward end ofthewire blank. This movable bar is normally held up against the 10 fixedbar by means of springs 11 of which two are shown in the drawings. Themovable bar is moved to and from the fixed bar against the re.- sistance'of these springs through links 18 whose ends are hingedly connected tothe fixed and 15 movable bars respectively.

This sliding movement of the movable bar with respect to the fixed baris actuated through the cam 19 on the shaft'34, see Figs. 1, 2, 6 and 7,through the medium of a bell crank. lever 89 20 which is fulcrumed onthe bed and has a roller 8i upon one end to engage with the side of thesaid cam and has a slot and pin connection 82 with the movable bar sothat with each rotation of the cam the bell crank 'lever is given' a,for- 25 ward and backward movement in a manner to draw the movable barlongitudinally and sidewise, being guided by the links 18, and againstthe action of the spring 11.

An opening 83 is formed in the bed through 9 which the completed garmenthangers are dropped from the former 84 of the machine. This former issupported by a bracket 85, see Figs. 1 and 12, in a way to overhang theopening 83 in the bed and so that when the hanger is formed 35 it willbe free to drop out when released by the tool 88. The before mentionedclamping plate I6 is attached to a block 81 which in turn is ad--justably secured to a slide 89 that carries a roller 89 that operatesina path 90 of a cam 91 secured to the cam shaft 913-. 1'

In Fig; 14 the groove 14 in the movable'guide bar 12 is indicated indotted lines and the teeth in the lowering tool 92 carried by the hanger99 in mu lines. As .will be seen from Figs. 1 and 2' 45 there are fourof these hangers carrying similar special shaped tools having toothededges. 94 that operate through suitable openings 95 in the movable barand serve to support and move the wire blank from one level-to another.Three 50 of the hangers 93 are carried by a longitudinal rod 98, seeFigs. 1, 3 and 12 and are provided with springs 91 that serve tonormally hold the notched face of these tools 92 up against the fixedbar and former yet are free to move vertically 55 'to" engage theincoming and successive wire blanks. The rod 98 is carried by two arms98-48 and an intermediate arm 99 which arms in turn are secured to arocker shaft Hi0 journalled in .bearings iill in the top portion of thebracket 95. 60

This rocker shaft is in turn provided with a cam lever I02 which bearsaroller I03 that engages the side portion of the before mentioned cam IIand whereby the rocker shaft, rod 96 and the three depending hangers 93are operated. 65

The fourth hanger 93 is carried on an arm [25 that is secured on shaftI09 and also serves to move the wire blank to the second or hook forminglevel. The arm 99 which is'also mounted uponthe rocker shaft I00 has ahanger I04 7 hingedly hung from its forward end and provided with aspring I05 that normally holds these.

beveled edge I08 of its tool 99 against the bevel I01 formed on the noseHi8 of the former 94.

The hanger is provided with a guide l'09, secured 75 I to bracket 85,which preventssidewise movementand' insures a proper alignment of the V-described.

The tool III further operates, after the wires have been so positionedand grasped by the twister, to raise out of engagement with the loopedends of the wire, and so remains in an elevated position until thetwisting operation has been completed, whereupon the tool is lowered ina manner to engage the twisted shank portion c of the hanger C and stripit free of the projected forming nose I03 on the front. edge of theformer 34 whereby spaced apart portions H of the hanger, see Figs. 2 and18, are formed.

After the wire a has been fed in between the fixed andmovable guide barsII and I2 and the blank severed by the cutter 63, the movable guide baris operated to free the blank whereby the tools 32, see dotted line,Fig. 12 and full lines, Fig. 14, are moved down slightly to shift thewire to the second level, see Fig. 9, and): in Fig. 14.

The hook e on the forward end of the blank is formed as soon as theblank has been lowered to its second .or intermediate position. Thesehook forming operations are performed by three tools, first a stationarytool II2' shown in dotted lines in Figs. 6 and 8 and in cross section inFigs. '7 and 9. It is secured to the underside of a block II3 which isattached to the top of the bed by screws H4 and is cut away upon theunderside to allow free outward movement of the hook end of the wirewith the folding of the wire around the shoulder portions II5-of theformer plate 34. Iii represents a special shaped movable tool thatengages the end portion of ,mounted on the cam shaft 3I.

the wire blank while the latter is in the position shown in Fig. 8 andbends said end portion into the concaved portions of the stationary toolI I2 leaving the wire end free and disposed outward,

see dotted lines, Fig. 6, in the path of the tool III which is the nextto. operate. The movable tool H3 is carried by a slide III thatismounted in ways of the bed and carries a roller ill to engage the grooveof the cam I20, see Fig. l, The tool III is carried by a slide I2I whichis also mounted in the bed and carries a roller I22 which engages agroove in the cam I9. From the foregoing it will be seen thatthe hook isformed by the three tools as the result of two operations, the first ofwhich shoves the blank against the fixed tool in a way to partially formthe hook whereupon the second movable tool shoves the remaining free endportion of the wire around and against the back oi the projectedportionb of the tool Ill in a way to produce the form of hook desired. Theformation of the hook having been completed, the tool Iii is drawn backuntil'the formed hook is positioned beneath the tools I23 and I24. Thenext operation is to lower the wire blank to the third level and clearthe forming tools for the incoming or next blank. This shifting of thewire is again accomplished in part by t. .e notched tools 32 togetherwith two additional tools I23 and I24 which are attached to hanger I20and positione'd'to engage the wire hook when formed and adapted to stripit from the tool I" after the tool III has been withdrawn.

A stop I 21 is adiustably mounted in a block I23 secured to the guidebar II in line with the movement of the forward end of the wire blank todependably stop it and insure proper'and uniform lengths of wire as arenecessary from which insure proper registration of its tool 32' with andoperation upon .the end portion of the wire. This tool 32' has no teethin its edge portion, like the tools 32, and simply serves to act uponand lower the forward end portion of the wire.

.I3I represents an arm that serves to support the hanger I24 and itstools I23 and I24. This arm is free to rock upon the rocker shaft 'INand includes a rearwardly projected member I32 that carries a roller I33that engages a path in the before mentioned cam I 23.

The former 34, before referred to and clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 15 to18 inclusive, is an elongated member that is securedto the underside ofthe bracket II, and includes a straight back edge portion 1, see Figs.12 and 15, against which the clamping head I! and two' of the notchedtools 32 operate, and two rounded shoulder end portions I II, twosimilarly concaved front edge portions 0 -9 and the before mentionedpro- Jected beveled edged nose I, and thus constitutes the former aroundwhich the garment hanger is bent and formed and upon which it is heldand supported during the twisting of the shank which is formed adjacenttothe hook end between it and the shoulder portion of the hanger.

lowered through the medium of the several tools 92 to the third orlowermost level, the opposite end portions of the wire become free forfurther bending operations. As before suggested, there are two of theseformer tools, one for each shoulder portion of the former, and serve tosimultaneously bend the end portions of the wire forward and inwardaround the before mentioned shoulders III by a pair oftools' I34 carriedby spring and cam actuated rocker arms I33 fulcrumed as at I38 uponslides I31 that are provided with rollers I33 to engage a cam path I33of a cam I in one instance and in the before i mentioned gear 33 in theother. These cams obviously serve to move the arms I34 and their toolsforward and backward with respect to the shoulder portion of the former.

' These rocker arms I33 are provided upon their rear ends with rollers"I that engage cam blocks I42 secured to the-bed and a spring I43 isprovided to normally hold these rollers against the face of the blocksso that with the engagement through the then horizontally positionedopening of the twisting head.

In this connection it will be seen that a pair of guides are positionedupon opposite side portions of the top of the bed between which the endsof the wire travel during the bending operations Just described. Theseguide members are substantially alike in construction, the lower one I44is secured directly to the bed, while the upper one I45 is also securedto the bed through the medium of brackets I46 though is arranged inspaced relation to the lower guide member so as to' permit the wires tobe freely moved thercbetween and guided into the twisting head and thevshaped notch III of the tool 86.

A second pair of wire closing tools I41 which are alike in constructionand operated through similar mechanisms, see Figs. 1, 2, 3, 16 and 17,is provided to engage the wires after the same have been bent over theshoulders and disposed in approximately the position indicated in ,Fig.16 for the purpose of closing the wires against the front edge portionof the former and around its nose preparatory, as shown in Fig. 18, tothe twisting of the aligned shank portions of the wire.

These closing tools I41, for the most part, move horizontally to engagethe wire end portions after they have been bent forward by the toolsI34, to close them against the nose of the former as in I Fig. 18. Theyare also moved vertically as well as horizontally whereby they areraised from the position shown in Fig. 3 as they recede from the closingoperation, shown in Fig. 18, to a slightly higher plane in their returnmovement to normal position as indicated in Fig. 2 so as to be out ofthe way of the next incoming wire and during the operation upon thatwire by the tools I34.

These closing tools are carried by arms I48, see Figs. 1, 2 and 3, whichin turn are mounted to swing upon vertical posts I49 that have theirbearings in the bed, are provided with collars I50 which are normallyseated upon the bed in a manner to form a normal and operative positionfor the closure tools when in their lowered position. The posts I49extend down through the bed and are provided with a swivel connection IIwith arms I52 and I52 that are carried upon a rocker shaft I53journalled in hangers I54 secured to the underside of the bed. The armI52 which like the arm I52 is secured to the rocker shaft, differs fromthe arm I52 in that it extends rearward and carries a roller I55 toengage a cam groove in the side of the gear 30. This line of connectionobviously provides for the raising and lowering of the closing jaws I41inthe manner and for the purposes heretofore described.

The closing movements of these two jaws and their arms are alike inconstruction and therefore similar reference characters will be used todescribe them as follows:

The forward end portions I56 of links I51 are swivelly connected to thebefore mentioned arms I48, while the rear ends I58 are likewise swivellyconnected-to the slides I59 which are reciprocat- 1 ably mounted in thebed and are provided with rollers I60, see Fig. 1, that engage groovesinthe cams I40 and M respectively, on shaft 3I,'whereby reciprocatorymovement of the slides and,

. links are provided in a manner to swing the arms and closure toolsupon the pivots I49.

As will be understood from the previous description and theillustrations, the wire end portions when brought to the positionindicated in Fig. 16 are first received by the-V-shaped notch III whichbrings them together, one above the other, in the pocket and oppositethe vertical edge portion of the nose preparatory to the closingoperation of the tools. The said notched tool is,

.at this time, being gradually raised and slides back on the beveledshoulder I01, see Fig. 13, as the closing tools are tightened in uponthe wires,

' to drop out.

as shown in Fig. 2 whereupon the tool 86 descendsina manner to'engagethe blank portion of the hanger and strip it from theformer.

The twisting head H0 is rotatably mounted in bearings of a slide I6I inthe bed and is adapted to be moved toward and from the nose of theformer; The said head is adapted to receive the aligned wire ends of thehanger and to close its jaw down upon the wires whereupon-rotarymovement is imparted and serves totwist the shank portions of the wirearound each other,.after which they are released leaving the hanger freeIn this connection the slide I6I mounted in the bed carries alignedbearings I62 that serve to rotatably support the spindle I63 of thetwisting head. This spindle includes a toothed peripheral portion I64forming a gear that is engaged and rotated by a toothed segment I65 thatis hung ona short shaft I66 carried in the two upstanding brackets I61secured to the bed of the machine.

1 This segment I65, which has a toothed lower edge is adapted to beswung backward and for- .ward upon its pivot I66 for the purpose ofrotating the spindle I63 and its twisting head, by a cam I68 upon theshaft 34 through a lever I69 that is hingedly connected to the bed as atI10 and carries a roller I1I for engagement with the groove in the sideof the cam. A link I12 connects the inner end'of this lever with theintermediate portion of the segment as at I13. The

slide I6I which carries bearings I62 is adapted to be moved forward andbackward to bring the twisting head into and out of engagement with thewire ends by means of a bell crank I14 that is pivotally connected tothe bed at I15, has its longer end I16 connected with the slide and thehas a forked end I82 that engages a collared sleeve'J83 of the twistinghead. This sleeve is provided with adjustable contact screws I84 and I85which serve to engage cam surfaces I86 and I I81 on a jaw I80 that ispivotally mounted in the head on a pin I89 and serves to operate againstthe fixed lower jaw I90 of the twisting head so that as the sleeve isshifted forward and backward through the shifting rod and'its operative.connections the two cam surfaces on the jaw will be alternately engagedto rock the jaw on its pin in'a way to engage and release the wires.

The before mentioned bell crank I19 has it's short end engaged as at I9Iwith a slide I92 fitted to reciprocatein the bed and held down inposition by aplate I93. This slide carries a roller I94 for engagementwith thegroove in the cam I95 carried on the before mentioned shaft 34.The slide I92 includes a plate I96 having a reduced forward endpositioned close adjacent to the front of the twisting head better toguide the hooked end of the wire between the jaws of the head g andobviously is moved back through the action of the slide after the wireends have been aligned in the head.

The sequence of operations has been brought out in the foregoingdescription of the construction of the machine better to impart aclearer understanding of the construction and operation of the machine,and thus making a further-description of the operation unnecessary. Inthis respect attention is' called to the introductory paragraphs of thespecification which serve to familiarize the reader with both thedescription of the machine and respective operations which were tofollow. Among the important or outstanding features of the wire formingmachine is the feeding mechanism which in practice has proven to be asuperior feeding device and much more dependable than most wire feeds.Next important is the general designof the machine whereby threeseparate wires in different stages of formation of a coat hanger isgoing through the machine simultaneously thusmaterially increasingproduction, and whereby different sets of forming mechanismsimultaneously operate upon different portions of the three wire blanksin a way to complete a hanger with each rotation of the main cam shaft.

Having thus described our invention what we claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. In a wire forming machine of the class described, means for feedingwire into the machine, guide bars between which the wire is fed, meansfor cutting the wire off to form blanks, means for operating the guidebars to free the blanks after the same have been cut, means for. movingthe wire to a lower level, means for forming a hook upon one end of theblank while in the lower level,

- means for bending the wire around a form, and

on one end portion of the wire blank, a former,

means for closing the end portions of the wire around the former andbringing the ends adjacent each other, and means for twisting the endportions of the wire to unite the same.

3. In a wire forming machine of the class de-. scribed, means forfeeding wire into the machine, guide bars between which the'wire is fed,one of said bars having agroove in its edge portion to receive andguidethe wire, means for cutting the wire of! to form a blank, means forlowering the wire blank from between the guide bars to a lower level,means for forming a hook upon one end of the blank while in said lowerlevel, a former, means for bending the wire around the former in a wayto bring the ends adjacent each other,

and means for twisting the end portions of the wire to unite the same.

, second level, means for bending the wire upon a form and means foruniting the end portions of the wire while in the third level.

5. A wire forming machine adapted to simultaneously operate upon threeseparate wire I blanks, including guide means between which the wire is'fed, means for cutting the wire 03' to form lengths, means for movingthe wire blank from the feeding level to a second or hook forming leveland for moving 'the second time to a third level for final operationsupon the wire, means for forming the hook upon one end of the blank,means for bending the wire around a former and means for uniting the endportions of the wire to form a garment hanger.

6. In a wire forming machine of the class described, means for feedingwire from a reel into the machine, guide means to receive the wire,means for cutting the wire to lengths, means for moving the wire to adiiferent'level, a fixed forming tool to receive one end of the wire,two

slidable forming tools, means for operating the latter in relation tothe fixed tool to form a hook.

means for moving the wire to a lower level, a, former, tools for bendingthe end portions of thewire around shoulder portions of the former,means to guide the end portions of the wire'during their bendingmovements, closing tools for' cutting the wire to lengths, means formoving the wire to a different level, a fixed forming tool to receivethe wire secured upon the bed, twov additional forming tools slidablymounted on the bed, means for operating the latter in relation to thefixed tool to form a hook, means for lowering the wire, a former, toolsslidably mounted on the bed for bending end portions of the wire aroundthe shoulder portions of the former, means to guide the end portions ofthe wire during their bending. movements, closing tools hingedly mountedon the bed for engaging the said bent end portions of the wire, meansfor connecting the end portions of the wire to .iixed and movable guidefar between whichthe wire is fed, said movable bar'having a wirereceiving groove formed in the length thereof, a lowering toolpositioned to engage the wire and move it from the guide bars to a lowerlevel. means for moving one of the guide bars to free the wire andpermit of the operation of the lowering means, means for forming a hookupon one end of the wire, means for bending the wire to form the body ofa garment hanger, means for bringing the end portions of /the wiretogether and means for twisting said end portions to complete thehanger.

a. In a' wireforming machine of the class described, means for feediniiwlre into the machine, guide means to receive'the wire, means forcutting the wire to lengths, means for transferring the 'wire from theguide means to hook forming means, means for forming a hook upon oneendof the wire, a former arbund which the the garment hanger is formed,tools for bending the two end portions of the wire around shoulderportions of the former, means to guidetthe end portions of the wireduring said bending operations. closing tools for enga ing the said.gototwi'sttheendportionsotthewire. 5

bent end portions of the wire and aligning them against the front of theformer and means for securing the ends of the wires together.

10. In a wire garment hanger forming machine, means for feeding wirefrom a reel into the machine, means for cutting the wire of! to formblanks, means for forming a hook upon one end of the wire blank, anelongated former having shoulder portions and a front projected noseportion, a combined wire guiding and stripping tool adapted to operateadjacent the nose of the former to guide the wire ends in positionthereon, means for operating said tool to-disengage it from said wireends and to strip the completed hanger from the former.'

11. In a garment hanger forming machine, means for feeding wire from areel into the ma-- chine, means for cutting the wire into lengthson onelevel, means for shifting thewire blank to another level, means forforming a hook upon the wire blank while in said'second leveLmeans formoving the wire blank to athird level, a former, means for bending thewires around said former-while in said third level, means for securingthe end portions of the wire together.

12. In a garment hanger forming machine adapted to handle threeseparatewires during a cycle of the machine, including means for feedingand cutting of! wire to produce a'wire blank, mechanism for forming ahook upon another blank, and wire bending means and twisting tools uponathird blank, the three said setsof operations being performedsimultaneously upon 7 the three blanks in a manner to produce a completehanger with each series of operations, said operations being performedon diilerent levels one below the other.

13. Ina garment hanger forming machine,

, means for feeding wire into. the machine, a 40 former around which thehanger-is iformed, a pair of swinging arms carrying closing jaws to bendand shape the wire against the former, means forswinging the armsforward and backward in their bending operations, means for alsoloweringslnd raising the arms and jaws horimntally th each swingingmovement of the srmsto carry the wire ends from one level to anotherandmeans for securing the ends of the wires together after being bent toposition.

14. In a wire forming machine of the class described, means for feedingwire from a reel, guide bars between which the .wire is fed, means for'cutting the wire oil to form blanks, means for operating the guide barsto free'the blanks after as thesame have been cut, means for forming ahook upon one endoi the blank, means for bending the wire to a form, atwisting head, means-for reciprocating the same to engage and disengagee wire ends'and means for rotating the lo d wire forming machine of theclass de-' head scribed,'including a bed, means for .i'eeding-wire intothe machine, a former mounted on the bed and'having a small extendednose portion, arms carrying tool'to bend the wire around the former anddispose them across the nose, a movable tool 1 having a V-shaped notchin its front edge to receive and direct the wire end portions and alignthem against the nose, means for withdrawing the tool from the wires, toposition them against the nose, and means for twisting the end portionsof the wire together.

16. A wire forming machine .of the class scribed, including a bed andinstrumentalities disposed to operate upon wires while in approximatelyhorizontal planes and on three different levels above the bed, andcomprising first, feeding and cutting mechanisms, second, hook formingmeans and third, bending and twisting means, the mechanisms being soarranged and timed as to simultaneously perform different operationsupon the three wires.

17. 'I'hecombination with a wire forming ma chine, of a wire feedmechanism comprising a drive shaft two pairs of wire feed rollersadapted to draw wire from arch and feed it into the machine preparatoryto cutting the wire, a relatively large'gear driven from the drivesh'aftand carrying a series of rollers, an associate gear having a likenumber of radial slots, an intermediate. shaft and reducing gearingbetween the: last mentioned-gear and the feed rollers for operating thesame-the saidrollers of the one gear and number and position of theslots carried by the driven gear being such as tocause successiveengagements of the rollers with the slots and to produce a slight dwellof the drivinggear and stoppa e or the feed rollers between'said engagements and a resultantslight stoppage of the feeding of the wire.

is. The combination with a wire forming machine, of a wire feedmechanism comprising a' drive shaft, two pairs of wire feed rollersadapted to draw wire from a roll'and feed it into the machinepreparatory to cuttingthe wire,'a rela' tively large'gear driven fromthe drive shaft and carrying a series of rollers on one side, anassociate gear mounted on a different shaft having a. like number ofradial slots formed in its side next adjacent the rollers, anintermediate shaft and reducing gearing between the last mentioned gearand the feed rollers for operating thesame,

the said rollers of the driving gear and number and position of theslots carried by the driven gear being'such as to cause successiveengagements oi the rollers with the slots and to produce a slight dwellof the driven ge'ar'and stoppage of the feed rollers between said engments and a resultant slightstoppage of thefeedingofthe 'MAURIIZ'OISONRICHARD a. son'nson.

